TELEPATHY
Posted by anthonynorth on March 29, 2007
Explorer Sir Hubert Wilkins once went on an Arctic expedition in which he co-operated with researcher Harold Sherman. Over 68 nights he would spend a little time trying to communicate the events of the day by thought to Sherman in New York. Records of the test show that Sherman wrote some incredibly accurate notes.
This was one of the most celebrated cases of telepathy, the believed ability to receive messages in the mind from another mind. A term coined by Frederic Myers in the 19th century, it is usually called extrasensory perception, or ESP, today; although the latter also takes in clairvoyance and precognition.
Classic examples of telepathy which most people have experienced include foreknowledge of someone about to phone you, or thinking about someone then seeing them. Sceptics deny this is telepathy, but merely coincidence.
J B Rhine began the first ‘scientific’ analysis of telepathy in the 1930s. Using packs of 25 cards with 5 sets of five symbols, subjects would try to guess which symbol another person had turned over. The number of guesses above chance suggested ESP.
By the 1970s, the Ganzfeld became popular, where a person is placed in sensory deprivation and asked to speak his thoughts whilst another person concentrates on sending images of a picture he is looking at. Evidence has been patchy.
Theories to explain telepathy have included the idea that messages are carried on radio-like waves, or are a product of pheromones, or airborne hormones. All such ideas have been discounted.
Others opt for more esoteric explanations, such as Carl Jung’s ‘collective unconscious’; a level of mind below the personal and arguably connecting minds together. Quantum mechanics allows spontaneous action, suggesting an answer may also exist here.
© Anthony North, November 2006
This is a post from Anthony North’s ‘alternative network.’ Current affairs posts almost daily on North’s Review and Eye on the World (this includes politics and links). North’s Review also has fiction, writers’ resources and TV reviews. For deeper issues, including paranormal, crime, environment and much more, Beyond the Blog is for you.
tobeme said
I without a doubt believe that we are able to communicate our thoughts through telepathy. I experience this all of the time. I use it in many ways.
anthonynorth said
Hi Tobeme,
In my experience, everyone experiences telepathy. Of course, many sceptics dismiss it as coincidence. I’m still waiting for one to explain just what a coincidence is.
Mindst you, I’m fascinated by what exactly telepathy is. The post, here, is my quick encyclopedia post on the subject. If you’re interested, I have much more on the subject.
If you go to my Mysteries page, above, and scroll down alphabetically to ‘Telepathy’, you’ll find a couple of more in-depth treatments of the subject, seeing it in two very different ways.
And there’s more to come.
Carol_Noble said
Recently I can assure you I have encountered telepathy. My husband and I often say things the other is thinking at practically the same time. We don’t know if only one of receives or whether both do. Nevertheless, one thing I can say is that when the thought is in the head it seems like it is my own, not someone else’s. Yet, I have said things that I think my husband had transmitted a couple of moments before, and the same thing has happened with me.
As the thought appears to be my own it is easy to dismiss the thought as irrelevant. But this is the whole point of telepathy, being able to realise that a subtle quiet thought might have made its way in to one’s mind. We need to recognise it for what it is, and act on it, but often we ignore it, and so the telepathic though disappears as if it never came.
If we put too much effort into trying to receive it we will fail, completely. It requires a very relaxed frame of mind, and an ability to recognise these very subtle thoughts as possibly not your own.
There are times, I would add, when my husband and I don’t get the thoughts at all, but that is usually due to one of us focusing their mind on a specific thing so blocking out any thoughts that may try to come in. Other times we try to get the thoughts but they become confused with what we are doing at the time and so don’t make any sense.
Still, my own experience has proved to me at least that telepathy exists. I can’t comment on what others believe.
anthonynorth said
Hi Carol,
I think most people can recall such experiences – I certainly can; many of them. Something is certainly going on. It’s just a shame so many just dismiss it with that mysterious word, ‘coincidence’.
KKJ said
Again, stating the obvious.
I do not see an argument in a statement saying that we are energy. Being and sharing a really small place such as the Earth, I can only see logic in that energy would be attracted to other energy. It is clear that society,religion,family,history and numerous other factors play a factor in what or mind is able to accept as being “real.” However, I believe that the “lower self” part of the brain is fully aware of the other energy sources surrounding it. Unfortunantly it is very difficult to tap into the “lower” part due to the factors mentioned above.
I am not sure about souls and spirits and certainly demons and angels. I do believe that other’s believe they have experienced such and in doing so, it is part of their reality. I refuse to dismiss any possiblities simply because I have never experienced them or because society says it is impossible.
Personally, my reality is that I am extremely empathetic and so strong at times that it effects me physically as well as emotionally. I have been told this is a gift but I fail to see any bows or ribbons on this gift. I am in a constant state of having to block out all emotions and/or feelings. I, at times cannot tell if some emotions are mine or someone else’s. Like I said this is my perception, reality and truth. I do not expect others to take on my reality. Why does it matter if someone would believe me or not? What have I got to gain or lose with their doubts or admirations? Nothing I can see.
But, in my reality, and knowing what I know and feel, I would be very hard pushed to dismiss any other ways the mind may or may not work. The truth is, we know only a small part about the human brain and/or mind. A lot of ideas and beliefs are out there for the grabbing but at what point does it become clear that some things, we just will not know? And why is that so hard for most people to say? It really does no harm to anyone by admitting to not knowing something.
All of the research being done on things we really do not need in the first place, but will never become aware of, could be well spent on tons of other causes that do have a light at the end of the tunnel.
What is so hard about just waking up in the morning, going about your day as best you can and simply accepting that you just are,
No questions asked?
Can anyone see how differnt things would be if we could just live and enjoy? Why do other opinions or religions, cultures and beliefs have such a bearing on other people’s lives. I do not get it. These are all things that cannot, by themselves, do any harm at all.
We have to be about the most pathetic being ever to have existed.
With all the potential available, look at where we are in the year 2009. And that date is just the time period after the supposed death of jesus.
I realize we have and will continue to evolve. But at this rate, it will have to come after the point of near extinctsion, that we begin to understand how truly willfully ignorant we are presently.
I will not say that all things are possible for everyone but I can say some things are possible for most of us. It does not have to be something mysterious or “evil”, simply because one does not understand it. Maybe it always has been and it is only now that it is being experienced.
History has shown that what humans do not understand, they fear, and what they fear, they will destroy.
Fear is horrible. Nothing positive comes from it. Instead of reacting in fear, how bout acting with compassion and at least try to understand. It really is not that hard once you give it a chance.
anthonynorth said
Hi KKJ,
This is a basic opener on the subject of Telepathy. For deeper ideas on the subject, you need to see Y FILES, as already advised.
However, a word of advice before you go:
‘Fear is horrible. Nothing positive comes from it. Instead of reacting in fear, how bout acting with compassion and at least try to understand. It really is not that hard once you give it a chance’
Now, where have I read that before?